Planetary transverse fruit brusher



H. J. BRANDENBURG 2.196.851

PLANETARY TRAHSYEHSE' FRUIT BRUSHER Filed Feb. 18, 193a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. J. BRANUENBURG ,196.851

PLANETARY wnmsvnasn FRUIT anusmsa Filed Feb. 1a. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 bm-wme 3 fimgl. 56770546 17? l a I I n r Patented Apr. 9, 1 940 PLANETARY TRANSVERSE BRUSHER" FRUITW,

lla'rry J. Brandenburg, Glendiora; lal ifg'assignor Wood; W. G.

" 3 Carttr; J. B. seem; and Bailypa ll (if Monrovia, Calif;

Application February is, 1938, s ams 191,278

This device relatesto rotating treating devices for rollablearticles and hasa special utility in-the treatment of fresh-fruits such as those packed in the citrus producing industry. v 1 It is' an object of my invention to provide an improved rotary device for treating rollable. ar

.ticles. U It is another object of my invention to provide such a device to treating fresh rollable fruits.

' It is yet another object of my invention to provide suchfa device which accomplishes its treat ment' on the-articles treated by a brushing action;

In the'handling of reliable articles as infcer- 25 yantageous to utilize brushes for accomplishing each of these treatments. The use of brushes in these treatments assures thatthe fruit will not'be damaged and the handling of a broad stream of fruit in the accomplishing of each of 30 the treatments permits a relatively small amount of equipment'to handle a large volume of fruit.

v The equipment in most general useat present for filling these requirements" is called a transverse brusher, this comprising'a series of substane u'tially cylindrical brushes close'to each other fruit through'th'e rotated rapidly in able power transmission. The fruit is then fed machine; these brushes being 40 over these brushes from valley to valley either by the, crowding action of fresh fruit introduced into the machine or by any of several types of clean-out devices, thelatter periodically pushing the fruit across the brushes so as to insure 45 that no fruit remains in the machine over a given maximum lengthrof time. I v

It is a still further object of myv invention to provide a novel and improved transverse brusher '5 of fresh rollable fruits above referred to.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages- I will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which;

which is especially adaptable of these fruits: may be advanplaced horizontally across the, path of, travel of the-same direction by a suitand which" are g' claims; (cl -i is zbz)" H I 4 1 is a diagrammaticview offaside eleva" tion-of a-preferred embodiment 'of my invention, the roller rotatingtrans-" j this View illustrating mission of my invention.

Fig-2 is'l'a plan'view of.said-embodiment.

Fig} 4' is. an enlarged transverse sectional View.

of cheer the rotating'unitsof thein'vention and V taken on line 4+4 ofFig;

. 5" Fig. 3 isa fragmentary sidelevationalview of the Opposite side of the devicev from thatshown in Fig. 1 land illustrates the unit rotatingtrans-- mission of the d'evicel. W p v Fig, 5 is. a detailed lc'n'lgitudihal sectional view.

taken on line 5-5jof Fig. 4 and illustrates,tlcie} gear mechanism included inthe roller rotating power transmission. f v Fig 6 is. a longitudinal vertical sectional View a taken on line 6 6 of, Fig. 2 and illustrates the l rotating roller-units oi my invention. 7

. Fig. 8 is aview'similar to" 6 illustrating a modified form of my ii'ivention. a 1Referring-..specifically to ,the drawings, the

. co-operati've relation of an adjacent pair of th'e' 1 v v Q r Fig. Z is ,a view; similarto Fig. 6 but illustrating; p

different positionsof the adjacent" units .ands'the "effect this has upon thetravelof fruit thereover.

eludes a frame. .ll,havingsupporting posts [2 on which' are secured sidewalls l3jand I4; Pro? vided on the upper edgesor the si d e Walls I 3 and a I 4 are fruit-guarding aprons t5; the purpose; of

which will bem'ade clear hereinafter. 1 I v by bearings l6 and J1,

rotating roller units which are constructed v A ;BBtataloly supported I r I provided on; the walls 13 and i4 area seriesof.

as follows:

Each unit I B' has a naively si rtdrive shaft l whichjournals in' onelo f the bearings I l, this shaft carrying a driven sprocket 26' fixe'd upon'. its outerie d andja; drive gear 27 fixed. upon its The shaft 25 extends only partway into the-bore 28 of the gear'fl'and is united with this gearby apin 29 Journalle'd; 45,

in' theloearing l6 and in the inner end offthej' bore 28 of the gear ZLisamainunit shaft onthe uter'endof which s pifovided a driven v ",s'p'rocketn36 which, ith a-collar- 3l,vfixes the shaft adapted for use in accomplishing the treatment '35 against longitudinal movement a Q Also uponjthelshaftlfi as by pins 38 are] hubbed flanges 39 on which arelprovided'unit,

aprons -l.

- Theunitfheads"and arejproyide'ufwith' v aligned bearings 45 and 46 in which are journalled trunnions 41 and 48 provided on the opposite ends of treating rollers 50. In the preferred' embodiment illustrated these rollers are shown as brush rollers each of which has a core 5! and bristles 52 mounted in holes in this core. The opposite ends of the core 5! have flanges 53 mounted thereon, these flanges carrying the trunnions M and 48, aforementioned.

Fixed on the trunnions 48 and. designed to mesh with the drive gear 21 are driven gears 55.

The guards l5 have ar'cuate recesses Bliwhichv are formed about the axis of the units 18 so as to just miss the flanges 53 on. the ends of the brush rollers 50. As shown in'Figsl 6 and'l; the

units !8 are placed relatively close together and 1 in the space between each adjacent pair of these unitsis provided a transfer board 65, opposite ends of which are supported on the guards I5;

The shaft I2 produces a relatively rapid rotation At the fruit receiving end of the brusher' H] is an inclined fruit feeding boardfifi and .at thedischarge end of the machinean inclined fruit discharge board 61.

In operating the machine preferably employ an electric motor having a, reducing gear box H through which the power of the motor; is transmitted to a drive shaft. 72 carrying a sprocket "I3 and a pinion gear 14 (see Fig. l).

of the rollers through a roller rotating transmission ml and also causes a relatively slow rotation of the units l8 through a unit rotating transmission 8! (see Fig. 3) v The tran'smission includes a driven sprocket which is fixed on the shaft 25 nearest the m0 tor Ill and is disposed in the same plane and connected through a' chain 86: with the pinion sprocket, The; sprockets 25 on all'the shafts 25 are co'nnectedtogether by an endless chain 81 which encircles these sprockets and is held in operative relation with all of them by idle sprockets 88 mounted on the sidewall 14... The

, motor HI rotates the sprocket 85 in the direction indicated by the arrow 90. This results in rotating all of the shafts 25 and drivegears 21 in the same direction thereby rotating all of the driven gears 55 and treating rollers 50 in the opposite direction. H

The unit rotating transmission 8|v includes a shaft 92 which. is journalled. in"su itable bearings on the frame II, this shaft having a gear 9; 3 at one end which mesheswith the drive .pinion .gear 14. The shaft 92 extendsentirely throughthe machine and has a pinion sprocket. ,94 on its opposite end which is in the same planeas and end thereof so as to facilitate the positivetravel connected by an endless chain 95 with a master All of the sprockets 36 are connected, byflan endless chain 91 which encircles these and is -held in operative relation with them by idle sprockets 98 which are mounted on the side wall [3. As shown in Fig. 3, the chain '95 causes the sprocket 96 and all of zthe shafts 35 to rotate slowly in the direction indicated by the arrow 99.1

. By a study of Figs. 6 and '7, it will beseen that pieces of fruit or other roll'ablef articles, fed into the machine l9 over the drop board 66, comes to rest in a valley formed between adjacent rollers 5D'of the initial unit 18. As the rollers 50 of this unit are rotating rapidly in the direction indicated by arrows adjacent thereto, the fruit is caused to rotate in the opposite direction and is brushed by the bristles 52 of these rollers, The

relatively slow rotation of the unit, however,

eventually results in the fruit thus held being deposited upon the transfer board 65 disposed between this unit and the next unit l8.

The fruit thus deposited rolls across this board and into: a valley between adjacent rotating brushes 50 which are rising incidental to the rotation of the next unit 18. Fruit thus trans- "jacent to the machine I0.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which a brush I00 is substituted for the transfer board 65, this brushbeing preferably rotated in the direction of the arrowadja cent thereto by a suitablesprocket (not shown) which may be driven from one of the chainst'l or 91.

The fruit passing from one unit l8 rolls over the brush 106 into a valley between adjacent rollers 50 of the next unit in substantially the same manner as this fruit rolls over thediOD board 65. Owing to the fact that the brush ,Hlll has bristles substantially like the brush rollers 58, an additional brushing action is given the fruit by the 'use of the transfer rollers we, in place of the drop boards 65.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention and the modification thereof illustrated in the drawings, with the axes of rc ta tion of the units thereof lying substantially in a horizontal plane, it is to be understood that in some cases it may be preferable to mount these unitswith their axes, lying in an inclined plane so that the fruit in traveling-through the'machine travels down hill. This might beaccomplished in the machine lit, for instance, by mount ingthis so that the left hand end, as shown in Fig. 1, is disposed higher than the right hand end so that the. side walls I3 and M are inclined downwardly toward the discharge end of the brusher. Such an inclination tends to increase the positiveness of transfer of fruit from each of 'thetrans'ferboard 65 into rising troughs between pairs of rollers 50 of the unit l8 immediately in advance of that transfer board.

Wherever the travel of a given typeof rollable Q article through the machine III, with the latter disposed horizontally, it is not sufficiently positive, therefore, the machine may be inclined downwardly from the intake to thedischarge of these articles through the machine. l WhatI claimisz' a 17 In anapparatus for brushing fruit, having a receiving end and a. discharge end, the combination of: a supporting frame extending longitudinally from the receiving end to the discharge end,,a. series of brush units rotatably mounted transversely in the frame, each brush unitcornprising a plurality of. rotatable brushes with axes parallel to the axis of the unit and eccentric thereof; means to rotate the individual brushes to brush fruit introduced to the upper external surfaces of theunits, and atransverse member .inounted in the frame between the'br'ush units to aid in supporting the fruit betweenthe brush units.

2,196,851 2. In an apparatus for brushing fruit, having a receiving end and a discharge end, the combination of: a supporting frame extending'longitudinally from the receiving end to the discharge end, a series of brush units rotatably mounted transversely in the frame, each brush unit comprising a plurality of rotatable brushes with axes parallel to-the axis of the unit and eccentric thereof, means to rotate the individual brushes to brush fruit introduced to the upper external surfaces of the units, and a transverse brush mounted in the frame between the brush units to aid in supporting the fruit between the brush units.

3. In an apparatus for brushing fruit, having a receiving end and a discharge end, the COl'i'ibination of: a supporting frame extending longitudinally from the receiving end to the discharge end, a series of brush units rotatably mounted transversely in the frame, each brush unit com-,

prising a plurality of rotatable brushes with axes parallel to the axis of the unit and eccentric thereof, means to rotate the individual brushes,

to brush fruit introduced to the upper external surface of the units, a transverse brush rotatably mounted in the frame between the brush units to aid in supporting and moving the fruit between the brush units, and means to rotate the transverse brush.

i. In a machine for treating rollable articles, the combination of: a plurality of roller units placed side by side, each comprising a pair of heads pivotally mounted upon a given axis and a plurality of treating rollers rotatably mountedupon said heads eccentric of said axis andsymmetrically disposed thereabout; means for continuously and relatively slowly rotating said units; and means for relatively rapidly rotating said rollers, said units being disposed to support, convey transversely of the axes of said units and frictionally treat rollable articles resting thereupon, adjacent pairs of said units being provided with means for supporting and assisting in the transfer of articles passing from one unit to the other of said pair.

5. In a machine for treating rollable articles,

I the combination of: a plurality of roller units placed side by side, each comprising a pair of heads pivotally mounted upon a given axis and a plurality of treating rollers rotatably mounted upon said heads eccentric of said axis and symmetrically disposed thereabout; means for continuously and relatively slowly rotating said units; and means for relatively rapidly rotating said rollers, said units being disposed to support, convey transversely of the axes of said units and frictionally treat rollable articles resting thereupon; adjacent pairs of roller means disposed between the units of said pairs for supporting and assisting in the transfer of articles passing from one unit to another of said pair.

said units having 6. In a machine for treating rollable articles, the combination of: a pair of roller unitseach comprising a pair of heads pivotally mounted on a given axis and a plurality "of treatingrollers rotatably mounted upon said heads eccentric of said axis and symmetrically disposed thereabout; means for continuously and relatively slowly rotating said units; means for relatively rapidly rotating. said rollers, said units being disposed to support and frictionally treat rollable articles resting thereupon; and a power driven roller disposed in the space between said units and rotating in the same direction as said units for assisting in the transfer of articles from one of said units to another of said units.

'7. An apparatus for brushing fruit comprising: frame, a brush support rotatably mounted on the frame, a plurality of circular brushes mounted for individual rotation on the brush support spaced in close proximity concentrically around the axis of the brush support and adapted to support fruit in the depressions between the external surfaces of those adjacent brushes which are in the upper half of the rotary path of the brush support, means to slowly rotate the brush support, and-means to rapidly rotate the individual. brushes, to brush the fruit and convey same in the direction of rotation of the brush support.

8. An apparatus for brushing fruit comprising:

mounted on the frame, a plurality of circular brushes mounted for individual rotation on the brush supporting means concentric about the axis thereofv and adjacent brushes being spaced sufiicientlylclose together to prevent fruit being treated from falling therebetween and providing cross section for receiving and a brushes.

9. An apparatus for brushing fruit comprising: a-series of brushing and conveying units each consisting of a rotatable brush support, a plurality of rotary brushes mounted for individual rotation on the brush support eccentric of the axis thereof and being circumferentially spaced close enough together to provide fruit supporting and conveying depressions between adjacent brushes on the upper external surface of the brushes when in the upper half of the rotary path of the unit,

means to rotate the units, and means to individually rotate the brushes of theunits, whereby,-

fruit is brushed and conveyed from one unit to another for successive treatment.

, HARRY J. BRANDEN'BURG.

a frame, brush supporting means rotatably 

